Back to EveryPatent.com
United States Patent |
6,112,815
|
B.o slashed.e
,   et al.
|
September 5, 2000
|
Inflow regulation device for a production pipe for production of oil or
gas from an oil and/or gas reservoir
Abstract
Inflow regulation device for a production pipe for production of oil or gas
from an oil- and/or gas reservoir (9), where the production pipe comprises
a lower drainage pipe with drainage pipe sections (5) with one or more
drainage pipe elements (2; 2a, 2b) having opening(s) (3; 3a, 3b) for
inflow of oil and/or gas to an inner space (8) of the drainage pipe
section. The inflow may be regulated by a movable sleeve (1) that abuts
one adjacent side surface of the drainage pipe section (2; 2a, 2b) and
where the sleeve is provided with a portion(s) (6) being able to
cover/uncover the opening(s) in the drainage pipe element. The sleeve
further comprises helical spurs/recesses (14, 15) that in conjunction with
one adjacent abutting surface (18, 21) of the drainage pipe element (2;
2a, 2b) forms channels (16, 17) that may connect the reservoir (9) with
the inner space (8) of the drainage pipe. The helical spurs/recesses (14,
15) may be constituted by one or more pair(s) of left- and/or
right-oriented spurs/recesses. The sleeve (1) is axially movable by a
double-acting ring piston device (21, 22) or by thread means (12, 13)
arranged between the sleeve (1) and the drainage pipe element (2; 2a, 2b).
Inventors:
|
B.o slashed.e; Einar (Notodden, NO);
Haugerud; Olav Sveinung (B.o slashed. i Telemark, NO);
Carlsen; Hans-Paul (Notodden, NO)
|
Assignee:
|
Altinex AS (Kokstad, NO)
|
Appl. No.:
|
068035 |
Filed:
|
August 5, 1998 |
PCT Filed:
|
October 28, 1996
|
PCT NO:
|
PCT/NO96/00256
|
371 Date:
|
August 5, 1998
|
102(e) Date:
|
August 5, 1998
|
PCT PUB.NO.:
|
WO97/16623 |
PCT PUB. Date:
|
May 9, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
166/320; 166/242.1; 166/316; 166/319; 166/370 |
Intern'l Class: |
E21B 034/12 |
Field of Search: |
166/205,242.1,242.7,243,316,319,320,332.1,369,370,373
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
1803839 | May., 1931 | Cavins | 166/242.
|
4577691 | Mar., 1986 | Huang et al. | 166/263.
|
4691778 | Sep., 1987 | Pyne | 166/332.
|
4779682 | Oct., 1988 | Pelzer | 166/370.
|
4821801 | Apr., 1989 | Van Lear | 166/370.
|
4858691 | Aug., 1989 | Ilfrey et al. | 166/278.
|
4945995 | Aug., 1990 | Tholance et al. | 166/381.
|
5211241 | May., 1993 | Mashaw, Jr. et al. | 166/320.
|
5337808 | Aug., 1994 | Graham | 166/191.
|
5435393 | Jul., 1995 | Brekke et al. | 166/370.
|
5447201 | Sep., 1995 | Mohn | 166/375.
|
5474128 | Dec., 1995 | Bitting | 166/242.
|
5673751 | Oct., 1997 | Head et al. | 166/242.
|
5803179 | Sep., 1998 | Echols et al. | 166/370.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
0 507 498 AA | Jul., 1992 | EP.
| |
0 588 421 A1 | Mar., 1994 | EP.
| |
2 169 018 | Jul., 1986 | GB.
| |
2 262 954 | Jul., 1993 | GB.
| |
WO 92/08875 | May., 1992 | WO.
| |
Primary Examiner: Suchfield; George
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Inflow regulation device for a production pipe for production of oil or
gas from an oil- and/or gas reservoir, where the production pipe comprises
a lower drainage pipe with one or more drainage pipe sections with at
least one drainage pipe element having an opening for inflow of oil and/or
gas from the reservoir to the inner space of the drainage pipe section,
where the inflow may be regulated by at least one inflow regulation device
comprising one movable sleeve that abuts one adjacent side surface of the
drainage pipe section and where the sleeve is provided with a section able
to cover/uncover the opening in the drainage pipe section and further with
a flow channel adapted to connect the reservoir with the inner space of
the drainage pipe section, wherein the flow channel is constituted by one
or more helical spurs/recesses arranged in the side surface of the sleeve,
whereby the spurs/recesses are arranged in that side surface of the sleeve
abutting the side surface of the drainage pipe element.
2. Device according to claim 1,
wherein the helical spurs/recesses in the sleeve are arranged as one or
more pairs of left- and/or right-oriented spurs/recesses.
3. Device according to claim 2,
wherein the sleeve is connected to an actuator or linear motor for axial
movement of the sleeve.
4. Device according to claim 2,
wherein the sleeve and the drainage pipe element are arranged for relative
rotation and the adjacent side surfaces of the sleeve and the drainage
pipe are provided with threads, whereby the sleeve is moved axially by
relative rotation of the drainage pipe and the sleeve.
5. Device according to claim 1
wherein the sleeve is connected to an actuator or linear motor for axial
movement of the sleeve.
6. Device according to claim 5,
wherein the actuator or linear motor is a double-acting ring piston device.
7. Device according to claim 6,
wherein the adjacent side surfaces of the sleeve and the drainage pipe
element have longitudinal mutually co-operating contact elements that
impede rotation of the sleeve with respect to the drainage pipe element.
8. Device according to claim 7,
wherein the longitudinal contact elements are arranged to intersect the
helical channels, causing the formation of turbulence in flow through the
channels at points of intersection with the contact elements, whereby an
increased inflow restriction is obtained.
9. Device according to claim 8,
wherein the side surface of the drainage pipe element adjacent to the
helical spurs/recesses in the sleeve comprises a section without the
longitudinal contact elements, whereby the number of intersections between
the contact elements and the helical channels decreases as the sleeve
enters the section, thus resulting in a reduction in inflow restriction.
10. Device according to claim 9,
wherein the side surface of the drainage pipe element is provided with a
section having a shape such that a space or clearance between the sleeve
and the side surface is formed, whereby the inflow restriction is further
reduced as the sleeve enters the section.
11. Device according to claim 1,
wherein the sleeve and the drainage pipe element are arranged for relative
rotation and the adjacent side surfaces of the sleeve and the drainage
pipe are provided with threads, whereby the sleeve is moved axially by
relative rotation of the drainage pipe and the sleeve.
12. Device according to claim 11,
wherein the sleeve is arranged between two drainage pipe elements adapted
for relative rotation, threads are arranged in one of the side surfaces of
the sleeve and on the surface of one of the drainage pipe elements, and
the other side surface of the sleeve and the surface of the other of the
drainage pipe elements have longitudinal mutually co-operating contact
elements, whereby axial movement of the sleeve is achieved by relative
rotation of the drainage pipe elements.
13. Device according to 12,
wherein the threads in one of the drainage pipe elements are arranged on
the surface thereof adjacent the helical spurs/recesses in the sleeve, and
so that they intersect the helical channels, thereby causing the formation
of turbulence in through-flowing fluid, whereby inflow restriction is
achieved.
14. Device according to claim 12,
wherein the longitudinal contact elements are arranged to intersect the
helical channels, causing the formation of turbulence in flow through the
channels at points of intersection with the contact elements, whereby an
increased inflow restriction is obtained.
15. Device according to claim 11,
wherein the threads in one of the drainage pipe elements are arranged on
the surface thereof adjacent the helical spurs/recesses in the sleeve, and
so that they intersect the helical channels, thereby causing the formation
of turbulence in through-flowing fluid, whereby inflow restriction is
achieved.
16. Device according to claim 15,
wherein the side surface of one of the drainage pipe elements that is
adjacent the spurs/recesses in the sleeve comprises a section without
threads so that the number of intersections between threads and channels
decreases as the sleeve enters the section, thus resulting in a reduction
in inflow restriction.
17. Device according to claim 16,
wherein the side surface of the drainage pipe element is provided with a
section having a shape such that a space or clearance between the sleeve
and the side surface is formed, whereby the inflow restriction is further
reduced as the sleeve enters the section.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to inflow regulation in a production pipe
with a lower drainage pipe for production of oil or gas from a well in an
oil- and/or gas reservoir. The invention comprises adjustable throttling
or valve devices in conjunction with openings in the drainage pipe,
providing that the inflow to the drainage pipe may be controlled according
to the pressure profile of the reservoir. Thus, the invention is in
particular very suitable for long horizontal wells in thin oil zones with
high permeability in the geological formation.
From U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,821,801, 4,858,691, 4,577,691 and GB patent
publication No. 2,169,018, there are known devices for recovery of oil and
gas from long horizontal and vertical wells.
These known devices comprise a perforated drainage pipe with, for example,
a filter for control of a sand around the pipe. A considerable
disadvantage of the known devices for oil and/or gas production in highly
permeable geological formations is that the pressure in the drainage pipe
increases exponentially in the upstream direction as a result of the flow
friction in the pipe. Because the differential pressure between the
reservoir and the drainage pipe will decrease upstream as a result, the
quantity of oil and/or gas flowing from the reservoir into the drainage
pipe will decrease correspondingly. The total oil and/or gas produced by
this means will therefore be low. With thin oil zones and highly permeable
geological formations, there is a high risk of coning, i.e. a flow of
unwanted water or gas into the drainage pipe downstream, where the
velocity of the oil flow from the reservoir to the pipe is highest.
The applicant's own EP-patent publication No. 0,588,421 discloses a
production pipe for production of oil or gas from an oil or gas reservoir
where a lower part of the pipe comprises a drainage pipe divided into a
number of sections with one or more inflow-restriction devices that
control the inflow of oil or gas from the reservoir to the drainage pipe
on the basis of anticipated loss of pressure along the drainage pipe, the
reservoir's anticipated productivity profile, and the anticipated inflow
of gas or water.
The patent publication mentioned above discloses one embodiment of an
inflow-restriction device, where a thickening in the form of a sleeve or
gate is provided with one or more inflow channels, and where the inflow
may be regulated by means of one or more screw or plug devices. By using
short or long screws which extend into the channels. the flow-resistance
in the channels can be varied. A further embodiment suggests to providing
the drainage pipe with passing slots or holes and arranging a surrounding
sleeve, which is movable in the lengthwise direction, at each section of
the drainage pipe.
The above mentioned technology sustains satisfactory possibilities for the
regulation of the inflow in the individual sections of the drainage pipe.
Meanwhile, as the pipe has been installed in the reservoir, it has been
experienced that a precise adjustment of the inflow at each section by the
use of remote controlled means, such as coiled tubing or such as a well
tractor tool, has been quite comprehensive and time consuming. Further,
the inflow-restriction means described represent quite complex designs,
that will require comprehensive and expensive machining operations in the
manufacture of such inflow-restriction means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a device that make
possible a simple and reliable regulation of the inflow, and that is well
suited for adjustment by remote controlled means. The inflow regulation
device according to the invention is of quite simple construction that can
be manufactured with few time consuming and expensive machining
operations, and can consequently be produced at low manufacturing costs.
Further, the construction of the inflow device provides a primary
possibility of regulation with respect to loss of dynamic pressure in the
inflowing fluid, together with a secondary possibility of regulation that
implies that the inflow may be completely shut off. Thus, the invention is
well suited when exploiting reservoirs where the presence of water,
oil/gas and the pressure conditions in the well along the drainage pipe
may vary, and in particular when exploiting wells where the aforesaid
conditions vary in dependence on the extraction rate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention will be further described with reference to
embodiments and figures where:
FIGS. 1a and 1b shows an inflow regulation device according to the
invention,
FIG. 2 shows a sleeve in accordance with the invention,
FIG. 3 shows an inflow regulation device according to the invention where
the sleeve is arranged in an annulus
FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cut-out of the device as shown in FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 shows, in an embodiment, an inflow regulation device as shown in
FIG. 3, where the sleeve is provided with left-oriented helical
spurs/recesses, and
FIG. 6 shows an inflow regulation device according to the invention where
the sleeve is arranged for movement by means of a ring piston device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an inflow regulation device where there is arranged an axially
movable sleeve 1 at the inner side of a drainage pipe element 2. The
sleeve is provided with helical spurs/recesses 14, 15 in the side surface
abutting a co-operating side surface 18 of the drainage pipe element, in
such a manner that the spurs/recesses in the sleeve are bounded radially
by the drainage pipe element 2, thereby forming helical channels 16, 17
(FIG. 1b). At the right end of the sleeve, the channels 16, 17 communicate
with the inner space 8 of the drainage pipe section. If the sleeve is
moved to the left (FIG. 1b), opening(s) 3 in the drainage pipe element
will be uncovered, thus establishing a communication between a reservoir 9
and the inner space 8 of the drainage pipe section by means of the
channels 16, 17.
The opening 3 may be closed by an even portion 6 of the sleeve, as the
sleeve is moved at its outermost position at the right (FIG. 1a). One
portion 11 of the sleeve may be provided with thread means 12 that engage
similar thread means 13 arranged in the drainage pipe element for the
movement of the sleeve. Thus, by rotating the sleeve 1 it will move
axially. The sleeve may for instance be rotated by the use of suitable
well-tools, such as a well-tractor, but the arrangement of an
actuator/motor, preferably a step-motor, represents an alternative
technical solution.
FIG. 2 shows a sleeve 1 according to the invention, where a pair of left-
and right-oriented helical spurs/recesses 14, 15 are arranged in the outer
surface of the sleeve, and where the spurs intersect at intersections 10
that support the forming of turbulence in the inflow. The spurs may
advantageously have a quadrangular profile, but other types of profiles
may also be convenient. Alternatively, there may be arranged more pairs of
helical spurs/recesses in the surface of the sleeve to obtain more inlets
and outlets. See FIG. 3 and FIG. 5.
The pitch of the helical spurs/recesses 14, 15 will determine at which
angle the spurs/recesses intersect. The angle of intersection will be of
great importance with respect to the flow resistance through the channels
16, 17. With a flat angle of intersection between the channels 16, 17, the
resultant direction of the flow with respect to the sleeve will be mainly
circumferential with a small axial component. As the flow in the left- and
the right oriented channels 16, 17 have inverted flow components in the
circumferential direction, substantial pressure losses may be achieved at
each intersection 10, where these channels meet.
As mentioned above, the sleeve has a section 11 at its left end that is
provided with thread means 12 co-operating with similar thread means in
the abutting side surface 18 (FIG. 1a) of the drainage pipe element 2.
Alternatively, the thread means 12, 13 may be arranged in the right end of
the sleeve, whereby similar thread means are arranged in the drainage pipe
element. This embodiment will be further described in the description of
FIG. 4.
By this arrangement, for at least a part of the stroke of the sleeve, the
thread means may be adapted to intersect the helical channels 16, 17 at
intersections that cause formation of turbulence in the flow.
FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of an inflow regulation device
according to the invention, where a sleeve 1 is arranged in an annulus 20
defined between a first drainage pipe element 2a and a second drainage
pipe element 2b coaxially arranged with respect to the first element. The
sleeve 1 is provided with helical spurs/recesses 14, 15 that are dosed in
a radial direction by an adjacent side surface 18 in the annulus, thereby
forming channels 16, 17. One end of the annulus communicates with an
oil/gas reservoir 9 by an opening 3b in the drainage pipe element 2a. The
entrance of particles such as sand or the like is avoided by a filter 27
arranged at the opening 3b.
When the sleeve is in the position as shown in FIG. 3, fluid that flows
from the reservoir 9 into the annulus 20, may enter channels 16, 17. At
the left side of the sleeve, the fluid leaves the channels 16, 17 and
enters an other end of the annulus 20. This section of the annulus
communicates with the inner space 8 of the drainage pipe section via
opening(s) 3a arranged in the second drainage pipe element 2b. As the
sleeve is moved completely to the left, the opening(s) 3a would be totally
covered by an even portion 6 of the sleeve 1, thereby cutting off the
communication between the reservoir 9 and the inner space 8 of the
drainage pipe section.
As mentioned above, FIG. 4 shows an enlarged cut-out of the device shown in
FIG. 3. The sleeve 1 and the drainage pipe element 2a may be arranged for
mutual rotation, to provide an axial movement of the sleeve. Co-operating
thread means 12, 13 or similar devices are arranged in the outer surface
of the sleeve and in the inner surface 18 of the drainage pipe section 2a.
In a similar manner, anti-rotation contact means 23, 24 are arranged in
the inner surface 22 of the sleeve 1 and the outer surface 21 of the
second drainage pipe element 2b. The thread means 12, 13 may be
constituted by cams/beads 12 arranged in one of the mutual surfaces and
spurs/recesses 13 in the other. The anti-rotation contact means may in a
similar manner be constituted by longitudinal spurs/recesses 23 and
cams/beads 24 arranged in the respective surfaces.
In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, the thread means 12, 13 are arranged
on the same surfaces as those that form the helical channels 16, 17, but
alternatively the longitudinal anti-rotation contact means 23, 24 may be
arranged on these surfaces, as the thread means 12, 13 could be arranged
on the other surface of the sleeve 1 and its corresponding surface in the
annulus.
The thread means 12, 13 arranged on the surface 19 of the sleeve and the
surface 18 of the annulus, alternatively the longitudinal anti-rotation
contact means 23, 24, may be formed in such a manner that they intersect
the channels 16, 17 and thereby provide that the channels will have a
sharp alteration in the cross-sectional area at the points of
intersection. This sharp alteration in the cross-sectional area of the
channels 16, 17 will cause the formation of turbulence in the flow, and
consequently a loss in the pressure. As shown in the Figure, the number of
intersections between thread means 13 in the annulus surface 18 and
channels 16, 17 may be adjusted by moving the sleeve into a section of the
annulus 20 where the surface of said annulus 18 is not provided with
thread means 13.
The possibility of adjusting the number of intersections between channels
16, 17 and thread means 13, possibly anti-rotation contact means 24, is of
great importance concerning the operating mode of the inflow regulation
device. By moving the sleeve 1 in the device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4
completely to the right, the opening 3a becomes totally uncovered and it
will simultaneously have a minimum of intersections between channels 16,
17 and thread means 13, possibly anti-rotation contact means 24. Thus,
there will be a minimum restriction of the inflow of the fluid from
reservoir 9. As the sleeve is gradually moved to the left, the number of
intersections will increase, and consequently there will be an increase in
the restriction of the flow in the channels. Then a gradual increase in
the restriction of the inflow from the reservoir to the inner space 8 of
the drainage section can be achieved. As the sleeve has reached its
outermost position to the left, the opening 3a will be totally covered by
a section 6 of the sleeve, and the inflow will stop.
FIG. 5 shows a device similar to that shown in FIG. 3, but here the sleeve
1 is provided with more parallel helical spurs/recesses 14, 15 with inlets
5a, 5b that, together with the annulus 18, form channels 16, 17. In this
embodiment, the connection between the inlet side of the annulus 20 and
its outlet consists of several parallel channels 16, 17 with a
corresponding number of inlets and outlets. As in the last example, the
thread/contact means may be arranged in such a manner that they intersect
the channels 16, 17 in a part of the annulus 20. Further, the sleeve may
be moved to a section of the annulus 20 having an even annulus surface 18,
where it consequently will be a smaller restriction of the flow. This
embodiment, having channels 16, 17 that do not intersect each other, may
advantageously have used when it is desirable to have less restriction of
the inflow when the inflow regulation device is in its fully open
position, than the restriction sustained by the device in the foregoing
example. The restriction in the fully open position may be further
decreased by giving the annulus surface 18 a shape such that it forms a
space or clearance 28 (FIG. 4) between the sleeve and the annulus surface
18 at the section.
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which an inflow regulation device may be
operated by a hydraulic, double-acting ring piston device 25, 26 having
connectors for fluid 28, 29. As shown in the Figure, a sleeve 1 may be
connected to a ring piston 25 for axial movement. The ring piston may be
arranged in a cylinder 26, or in an extension of an annulus 20 formed
between a first drainage pipe element 2a and a second drainage pipe
element 2b coaxially arranged with respect to the first drainage pipe
element. As shown in the foregoing example, a reservoir 9 is in
communication with the annulus 20 via an opening 3b in the drainage pipe
element 2a. Fluid may flow from the annulus 20 via helical channels 16, 17
to a second section of the annulus 20 that it communicates with the inner
space 8 of the drainage pipe section via one opening 3a in the second
drainage pipe element 2b. Rotation of the sleeve and the piston may be
omitted by the arrangement of anti-rotation contact means 23, 24 formed as
longitudinal spurs/recesses and cams/beads in a surface 19 of the sleeve
and in the adjacent surface of the annulus.
Preferably, anti-rotation contact means 23 are arranged in the same surface
of the sleeve as the helical channels 16, 17, whereby intersections are
formed between contact means 24 in the adjacent surface 18 of the annulus
and the channels 16, 17, similar to the foregoing example. The surface 18
of the annulus may further have a section that is not provided with
anti-rotation contact means 24 that allows the number of intersections to
be adjusted as the sleeve is moved into this section. Correspondingly, the
restriction of the flow will then be adjusted. Analogous with the
foregoing example, the sleeve may be moved to an outermost position at the
left where the opening 3a will be covered by an even portion 6 of the
sleeve, and the communication between the reservoir 9 and the inner space
8 of the drainage pipe section will be cut-off.
Alternatively, the second drainage pipe element may be omitted, whereby the
inflow regulation device then comprises two main components, the sleeve
and the drainage pipe, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. In this
case, the double-acting ring piston device may be built-in as a separate
unit (not shown).
It shall be understood that sealing means (not shown) may be arranged
between the drainage pipe and the well wall (reservoir), whereby one or
more inflow regulation device(s) communicate with one or more selected
sector(s) of the reservoir. This technology will not be further described
here, but is disclosed in the above mentioned EP 0,588,421.
The invention is not limited by the foregoing examples. Within the frame of
the following claims the movable sleeve 1 may be arranged at the outside
of the drainage pipe 2, 2a and may possibly be surrounded by a second
drainage pipe element. Further, it should be understood that the helical
spurs/recesses in the sleeve possibly may be in abutment with the adjacent
surface of the second drainage pipe element 2b, whereby the channels 16,
17 are formed between the sleeve 1 and the second pipe 2b. Furthermore,
the spurs/recesses 14, 15 may be arranged in the inner surface of the
sleeve 1, and still further the adjacent drainage pipe element (2, 2a, 2b)
may be so formed that intersections between channels 16, 17 and thread
means 13/contact means 24 are provided analogous to the foregoing
examples. It shall still further be understood that the movement of the
sleeve may be performed by the use of other means than those mentioned.
Thus pneumatic, electric or electromagnetic actuators/motors may be used
for this purpose.
Top